Again (Brandy Jeffus)

wearing a dark t-shirt with some video game logo on it.
    "Okay for the most part. Thanks for the machine. That'll help out a bunch."
    He nodded and got up. “I picked up some medicine for you too. Let me go get it. But first let's get you sitting up.”
    Big flames of embarrassment rise in my chest as Eli's strong and gentle hands hook underneath my arms and pull me up. He fluffs the pillows behind me and lays a sheet over my ratty PJ-covered body.
    I smile weakly, "I'm fine, Eli. Really. It's just the flu, I guess. How's Mama doing?"
    "She's good. She woke up a couple hours ago and is watching TV. But you're not fine, honey; the flu can be some nasty stuff. I brought some medicine the pharmacist recommended to me."
    His eyes are big and full of sympathy. Eli’s so tough on the outside, but has always been so tenderhearted, such a caregiver. He’s always been like that, as if it was engraved in him at birth to be a great caretaker.
    "I haven't been this sick in a long time," I grumble. My head is throbbing, as if somebody’s attacking with a jackhammer from the inside.
    Eli’s cool hand touches my forehead gently, "I know. You hardly ever get sick. Must have picked something up from the hospital all that time you were there."
    When he leaves the room, I pick up the phone. The clock reads that it was past lunchtime. I've been asleep much longer than I thought. When Eli returns, his arms are full of medicines. He sets a glass of clear liquid down and starts naming all the things he has.
    "I picked up tissues, Theraflu, more ibuprofen, sore throat spray, some Vicks chest rub stuff, and cough drops. Oh and I bought some chicken noodle soup and Sprite. Sprite is the only thing I'll drink if I'm real sick. Don't know why, but it's what my mom uses,” he smiles at me as he lays everything on my dresser.
    His helpfulness makes me choke up. I had prepared myself to tough it out, without any help. I only wanted Eli to help with Mama. For years now, I’ve been taking care of myself and besides Mama needed the most help anyway. But Eli went and bought almost a whole pharmacy…for me.
    "What is it? Do you feel bad?" He hands me a tissue, "Here we'll go ahead and get some of this stuff in you to make you start feeling better."
    I blow my nose and croak out, "Thank you, Eli. You don't have to take care of me. But it sure is nice."
    He sits down gingerly and hands me a measuring medicine cup filled with disgusting orange liquid. "What are ex-best friends for huh? I told you that I'd be here for anything. People get sick, but they also need someone to help take care of them when they get that way, you know? Don't worry about it."
    I take the medicine and immediately drink the Sprite. I can feel it cooling my throat instantly. After I tell Eli I’m hungry, he leaves to go make some soup. In a few minutes he comes in with a bed tray.
    "Do you remember when you got sick in Mrs. Benolk's class? It was like a chain reaction after that. One of the most interesting days of middle school for sure,” Eli says flipping through the channels on the TV. I smile big as the memory comes back to me. It was eighth grade year and I had stubbornly gone to school against advice of my parents. I ended up getting a fever and getting sick in the middle of class.
    "That was something huh? Mrs. Benolk acted like I had the plague. Ha!" I laugh softly. I eat the rest of my soup and Eli picks a talk show to watch. We sit in comfortable silence.
    Soon, I start to feel sleepy. I put my empty bowl on the table and scoot farther underneath the covers. My head thankfully isn’t pounding like before and I feel relief the instant I shut my eyes. Before I lose all awareness, I feel Eli gently tuck the cover in. He switches the TV off and brushes a cool hand across my forehead.
    I feel his lips softly brush my brow before whispering good night. These tiny gestures are giving me such a warm feeling of comfort. It’s hard to squash down the feeling of enjoyment I’ve begun to feel. And suddenly I’m not sure I want to anymore. It’s nice being taken care of. Mick never was attentive when I was sick, and instead avoided me at all cost, afraid he would catch whatever I had and ruin his shows. But Eli, he puts everyone above himself.
    I wake up a couple hours later and feel a big improvement all overt. Eli isn’t here, but I spy his note on the cleaned off night table. It reads : Going to get meds for Cindy. Be back soon.
    I climb out of bed. I’m so stiff